The Change of the Breeze
by Poppler
Summary: Hermione is a 7th year at Hogwarts, and things have changed more than anybody expected. R/Hr later. Pwease R&R! I really don't know how this is gonna turn out, but I guess anything's possible...


A/n: yes!! I've actually written a story~ *gasp* ~ could I be over my writer's block? It's about time… *has another happy outburst* yay!! Anywayz, this is eventually gonna be R/Hr… I dunno how long the story's gonna be. Oh yeah, and I know there are probably some mistakes… Pleaz r&r and no flames! They're for demons and stuff, not stories… hope ya like it!  
  
~  
  
I groaned in frustration at the enormous stack of books in front of me. I had checked them all out in a matter of minutes, frantically scanning the library for study material. But I couldn't find any answers in any of them. I knew they were in there somewhere, but I just couldn't seem to find the right page.  
  
I picked up an encyclopedia that not only looked as if it was three hundred years old, but felt like it weighed two tons. I grimaced at the smell. I briefly compared it to the smell of the girl's dorm hallways- Lavender and Parvati had sprayed various perfumes everywhere- and decided I could take it. I opened the heavy book and started searching for the palmistry answers.  
  
Normally even I wouldn't have been in the library today, but after all it was my last year at Hogwarts. It sounded horrible to think that. I mean, after nearly seven years at this school, there didn't seem to be anything outside of it! That is, of course, except for my parents. But it was a small condolence. My use of magic would be limited after this year, because it won't be 'practical application of skill'. Right…as if Hogwarts itself is practical…  
  
Right after the year was over, I was scheduled to attend a meeting of WEIRD, or the Witches and Wizards for Ethical Illusionary Realms in Dreams. I'll explain more about it later. Anyway, then I was going to go visit Victor Krum, and finally go home to see my parents and spend some time with Ron and Harry. Well, if it could be arranged. Harry had quite an ambition to become a professional Quidditch player. It was kind of admirable, because he wanted it so bad. On the other hand, Ron had no clue what he wanted to do after graduation. I tried to ask him about it… who knows? Maybe I could have helped. But whenever I mentioned it, he changed the subject, like he didn't want me to know about it or something.  
  
My mind was wandering. I had to keep my thoughts on my studies. I sighed, and wondered when that had started to sound lame. Well, it was earlier this year that I had started to throw off the pressure. It was pressure I had made for myself, really. Pressure to do my very best, always, and no matter what. I had to admit it was getting pretty unbearable. I wanted to be like Harry and Ron, I just didn't know how.  
  
It was really hard to cut my studying time, but little by little I did. Last year, I had started hanging around with Padma and her friends. It was little more exciting than I had predicted, but it proved to be much more fun than sitting in the common room all day. They cut my hair, dyed it for me, and put all sorts of makeup on me. And well, I did get quite a kick out of walking around Hogwarts and catching the eyes of so many guys.  
  
This year I was prepared to re-read Hogwarts: A History, among about ten other books that I had read in the past. Plus I was determined to read several books on the more advanced classes in the school… especially horticulturae magica, which I had been anticipating ever since the beginning of sixth year.  
  
But enough of my reading plans…and, I decided with a final closing of the encyclopedia, enough of this.  
  
I stood up and put the gigantic book back where I'd gotten it. I noticed a group of giggling 2nd years coming over to the table, and figured they could put the rest back if they were going to use them anyway. Then I picked up my bag and notebook, and left the library.  
  
~  
  
The grass on the Quidditch field was wet and smelled like fresh air. It was cold outside, as it was October, but not as cold as I had expected. Apparently, Oliver had expected colder weather too, because there was no practice today, only a short meeting.  
  
The Hogwarts team was in somewhat of a circle in the middle of the field. Some were standing and some were sitting. Harry, ever enthusiastic, was standing next to Oliver. I laughed out loud at his excitement.  
  
I was sitting on the bleachers. It was Friday afternoon and I had, as usual, been fighting with myself… should I study or not? As it did more now than ever, the not studying had won. I was waiting for the meeting to be over so Harry and I could go see Hagrid.  
  
I actually hadn't visited Hagrid for months. I guess it seemed… kind of juvenile to run to his house all the time. I did see him around school, though. He didn't look so good, which was sad… I had sort of expected him to be that same playful Hagrid the whole time I was here. But that didn't matter right now.  
  
I laid back on a bleacher and looked at the sky to see if anybody was flying their brooms today. There were a few people scattered around the school who could be seen high in the clouds almost every day, just flying. Personally, I thought it was strange, but it was surprisingly amusing to me when (if) a teacher spotted them during classes and attempted to get them back down. I admired those people, most of all when they got the professors mad.  
  
Like Atmick. Oh boy, was he fun. He was the Powerful Witches and Wizards of our Time teacher, and he was new this year. Already we all knew that he couldn't go a day without telling on somebody. Yeah, he was a tattletale. It was funny when you thought about it. Still, it wasn't as funny when you experienced it. If someone made a mistake, maybe even returned a book overdue, or if someone spilled potion on a desk, Atmick wouldn't rest until he reported the 'offense', insisted on a punishment for the person, and smugly watched as it was carried out.  
  
I didn't realize anybody was standing next to me until they cleared their throat. I nearly fell off the bleachers. I composed myself and sat up. Harry was there, grinning. I hadn't seen him for such a long time!  
  
"So," he said. "Sunbathing?"  
  
I looked down at my sweatshirt and jeans. We both laughed a little. I remembered the last time we'd talked~ the last day of school, last year. It had been forever!  
  
"Just waiting for you… comes as a surprise, right?"  
  
He smiled. "Of course. I can't think of anyone else who would sit through one of Oliver's lectures."  
  
I smiled back. "Well, I was sitting way over here and wasn't…er, lucky enough to listen."  
  
I was slightly surprised when Harry sat down next to me.  
  
"That's the honesty I've missed from you," he said with a laugh. "I've wondered sometimes if you even go here. I don't see you at all, aside from lunch."  
  
I blushed, and as a result got even more embarrassed.  
  
"Yes…well…" I said intelligently.  
  
Harry shrugged. "I take it I haven't been around too much either."  
  
"I didn't expect you to be," I said, a little too briskly. "You've had so much to do with your training."  
  
"Yeah, I hope it pays off. I mean, professional Quidditch…" he turned to me. "Think about this, okay? Me, in a professional uniform, coming out onto this humongous field. It's breezy and it's a really nice day. The stadium is filled, with cheering fans all over. Are you picturing this, Herm? I'd walk out with my broom, with the wind in my hair, and look out at the stadium. Then the game would start…" He waved his hand. "I haven't gotten into those details yet. But at the end of the game, I would be triumphantly positioned in the winning catch. My team won, and I'm the one who made it happen." He paused. I looked back at him, smiling because I could imagine this happening, everything he said. It was just a daydream now, but sometime it would be real.  
  
"So, you want my autograph now?"  
  
I smirked. "Thanks, but I think I might keel over from the excitement." We both laughed.  
  
"Um…how about we go and see Hagrid?" I said.  
  
"What?" he said, and I knew I'd caught him off guard.  
  
"You know… Hagrid. I thought we could go visit him."  
  
"Oh. Well, it's just that… I don't know about that because…"  
  
"Yes?" I said, growing impatient.  
  
"I mean, he's not feeling so well right now. All I'm saying is we probably shouldn't bother him."  
  
"But we wouldn't bother him, Harry. I'd think he would want us to visit him more often."  
  
"More often?!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Hermione, I go see him whenever I can. I always go when I have a chance. If I were him," he said pointedly, "I wouldn't even remember you from the few and far between times he's seen you. But he does. He asks me a lot if I've talked to you lately. Did you know that?"  
  
Okay, what was going on? Was I missing something? Was he mad at me?  
  
"Then…" I started uncertainly. "…tell him you talked to me today."  
  
We were quiet for a minute. Then he nodded. "Fine, I will tell him that."  
  
"Fine." I laid back down on the bleacher, not really paying attention to the sky this time.  
  
"And…" I heard Harry say quietly. "I'll tell him you waited for me."  
  
Then he stood up and started to walk inside. He turned around and yelled goodbye. I didn't answer. I just stayed there on the bleachers and noticed that the field stretched so far… from there it was almost never-ending. A lot of things aren't, though. I think this year will be different from any other one I've had at Hogwarts. 


End file.
